Current radios and wireless mobile communication devices for outdoor and aquatic use may include microprocessors, memory, speakers, headphones, and may run one or more software applications in addition to providing for voice communications. Such radios may be used by skiers, mountain climbers, hikers, bikers, sailors, fishers, hunters, swimmers, scuba divers, kayakers, boaters, firefighters, police, military, coast guard, merchant mariners, etc.
For example, a scuba diver may use a radio while on the surface of the water to contact his or her dive boat. The effective use and operation of such radios is essential for maintaining diver safety in emergency situations. In particular, in emergency situations where the dive boat is not available to retrieve a diver or has left the dive area, it is essential for maintaining diver safety that effective distress communications are available to the diver in order to contact the dive boat so that the diver may be retrieved. In most instances a wayward dive boat may be recalled via surface communication to the dive area to retrieve the abandoned diver. A diver who is left behind at the dive area will realize his or her problem while on the surface of the water and will need to communicate with boats or others who are at or above the surface of the water to affect his or her rescue. Divers being left behind by dive boats is a big problem. In fact, an estimated 30 to 45 divers get left behind by dive boats or are otherwise lost at sea and consequently die every year. Similarly, a commercial fisher working at sea may be swept over the side of his or her fishing boat during a winter storm. Such a situation may prove fatal unless the fisher can contact the fishing boat to be retrieved.
Existing radios and wireless devices for such users are problematic. Some existing devices include Global Positioning System (“GPS”) based locating equipment. However, these devices are typically quite expensive and are cumbersome for to use in an emergency situation. Other radios are not sufficiently waterproofed to provide adequate protection from the elements.
A need therefore exists for an improved waterproof radio. Accordingly, a solution that addresses, at least in part, the above and other shortcomings is desired.